Professional Development: /prəˈfəʃən(ə)l/ /dɪˈveləpmənt/

Professional development within the discipline of political science involves educating and training individuals in the area of career skills and strategies--for the purpose of enhanced knowledge, preparation, performance and advancement in fields related to political science--both academic and non-academic. The APSA Department of Education, Professional, and Diversity coordinates a series of programs aimed at promoting professional development for undergraduates, graduate students, junior faculty, as well as the overall APSA discipline.

In 2004, the APSA Task Force on Graduate Education encouraged APSA to work with departments and members to provide mentoring on professional development and preparation in the areas of research, teaching, academic roles, and preparation for careers both in and outside of the academy. Supporting professional development helps APSA to further its core objectives, such as: promoting scholarly research and communication; promoting high quality teaching and education; diversifying the profession and representing its diversity; increasing academic and non-academic opportunities; and strengthening the professional environment for political science.

Check Out Programs For:

Professional Development Roundtable

At the previous APSA Annual Meeting in 2013 our featured Professional Development Roundtable was:

“Preparing for Tenure: Making the Most of the Tenure Clock"

Featuring:
Irasema Coronado, University of Texas, El Paso
Terri Givens, University of Texas, Austin
Taeku Lee, University of California, Berkeley
Carol Nackenoff, Swarthmore College
Tracy Osborn, University of Iowa